Light-dimming switch



June 10, R K, w N| G LIGHT DIMMING SWITCH Filed June 12, 1929 PatentedJune 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT K. WINNING, OI WA'IJ'WATOSA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO CLUMI MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OFMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A. CORPORATION OF W IBOONEIN LIGHT-DIMMING SWITCHApplication filed June 12,

This invention relates to improvements in light. dimming switches of thetype patented to me in United States Letters 'Paten I 1,678,686 datedJuly 31, 1928.

vAs in the case of the prior patent above referred to it is an object ofthe present invention to provide a switch which will necessarilyfunction to leave either the bright headlight or the dim headlightcircuits closed at all times so that the operator of a vehicle equippedwith this device cannot at any time be wholly deprived of light due toany failure'of the switch to function properly. The

' present invention however, has as its further object provision of aconstruction such that .it is impossible for both the bright and dimheadlight circuits to be closed simultaneously except momentarily duringthe operation of the switch. It is desired also to provide for thismomentary over-lap whereby one circuit will be closed before the otheris opened. 7

A further object of the invention has to do with simplification andreduction of expense by the elimination and modification of parts. It ismy further purpose to provide a balanced means for operating the switch.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical section through a switchembodying the present invention in a plane parallel to the axis thereof.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the switch with a portion of itsterminal head broken away to expose the interior construction.

Figure 3 is a detailed view of the actuating mechanism with the terminalhead and the switch rotor removed.

Figure 4 is a detailed view in end elevation of the portion of theswitch rotor engaged by the ratchet whereby it is actuated.

Like parts are identified by the same reference character throughout theseveral views.

The switch casing 5 comprises a hollow shell closed at one side by aterminal head 7 6 and has spot welded to its upper end mounting plate 7.-Riveted to plate 7 is a tubular guide 8 for the plunger 9 which carriesthe edal member and spring housing 10. lunger 9 and pedal 10 arenormally supported by a com ressidn spring at 11 which 60 encircles thegui e 8.

1929. Serial No. 870,249.

plunger 9 is riveted. When the plunger is I reciprocated the plate 15functions as a slide moving in face contact with the wall of oasingProjecting centrally from the rear wall of the casing 5 between arms 16and "17 of the slide 15-is a stud 20 upon which the rotary parts of thedevice are mounted. Immedi ately adjacent the rear wall of the casing adriving ratchet member 21 is mounted on the stud and provided with threeteeth 22 meshing with the rack teeth 18 of arm 17 of the slide. Theother arm 16 of the slide may engage the untoothed peripheral portion ofthe driving ratchet 21 as shown in Figure 3 whereby to take up anythrust developed in the mesh of teeth 18 and 22.

Pressed upwardly from the face of the driving ratchet are ratchet teeth23, which are preferably three in number. The number should at least bekept reasonably small in order-to reduce excessive wear on the drivenratchet member.

In the present embodiment of the invention the driven ratchet membercomprises a dielectric rotor 25 mounted on the stud of post 20 andprovided in its rear face with integrally formed teeth 26 complementaryto the teeth 23 of the driving ratchet. In the articular'deviceillustrated there are six 0 the driven teeth 26 and neither the drivingnor the driven teeth have a great deal of elevation, it being desirableto provide for the transmission of rotative movement with a minimum ofaxial movement in the particular switch under consideration.

The driven ratchet rotor 25 presents to- .ficiently to expose in theFig. 4. The wings 31 are spaced apartsuf- 'electric composition of therotor 25, the grooves 29 above described.

The terminal head 6 is provided with three terminals 33, 34 and 35 eachof which has, within the case, resilient fingers 36 hearing on therotor. The finger connected with terminal 34 bears permanentl u on theconductive plate 30 applied to t e ace of the rotor, whereas the fingersconnected with terminals 33 and 35 project into engagement with thatportion of the rotor face which includes the exposed dielectric materialin whlch grooves 29 are formed.

The direction of rotation of the switch rotor is such that the lastmentioned contact fingers trail over the face of the rotor, beingdisposed to project in opposite directions at opposite sides of the caseof the rotor as shown in Fig. 1. The extremity of each of the springfingers 36 is inwardly curved toward the face of the rotor whereby eachof the trailing fingers connected with terminals 33 and 35 functions asa dog or pawl to engage in the grooves 29 in the dielectric body of therotor to prevent reverse rotation of the rotor during depression of thepedal. The fingers are also projected bodily away from the plane of theterminal head 6 and thereby tend to force all of the rotative partstoward the rear of the casing. The pressure of these spring fingers onthe rotative parts provides all of the spring pressure required for theoperation of the ratchets with which the switch is provided. At the sametime the ratchets are so designed that the movement occasioned in thesesprings by the ratching operation is very slight and is not sufficientto distort the springs.

The device is so organized thatwhen the pedal 10 is depressed the rackteeth 18 will coact with segment teeth 22 to oscillate the drivingratchet member? 21 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3.In this direction of rotative movement the driving ratchet teeth 23 willratchet over the com- .plementary opposed teeth 26 of the driven switchrotor 25, the rotor moving axially against the pressure of contactsprings 36 to permit of this ratcheting operating.

When the pedal 10 is fully depressed and has been released it will beimpelled upwardly by compression spring 11 thereby producing clockwiserotation of the driving ratchet as viewed in Fig. 3. The teeth 23 arenow moving in a direction for engagement with teeth 26 of the switchrotor and accordingly the switch rotor is caused to rotate with thedriving ratchet member 21. In thecourse of such rotation the contactsprings 36 with terminals 33 and 35 will trail over the face of therotor. One of them will initially have been engaged in one of thegrooves 29 and the movement of the rotor will bring beneath this contactspring one of the conductive wings 31 of the moving contact plate 30.The other will initiallyhave been engaged with one of the wings 31 andthe movement of the rotor will bring beneath this contact spring adielectric portion of the rotor having a groove 29 which, in theultimate position of the parts, will register with the end of thespring.

The engagement of the inwardly curved extremities of the contact fingerswith the grooves 29 will hold the rotor against reverse movement whenthe pedal is again depressed.

It will be observed that the arcuate extent of the wings 31 of themovable contact plate is such that during the movement of the switchfrom one position to another the two contact springs connectedrespectively with terminals 33 and 35 will momentarily both engage'themovin contact switch. This ensures the closing of one circuit beforeanother is opened and when the switch is employed as a dimming switchfor motor vehicle purposes it makes it impossible for the operator ofthe motor vehicle to be deprived of light by any operation of thisswitch. it is equally impossible, however, for the switch to remain in aposition such that both circuits will be closed, since the functioningof the switch after the foot pedal has .been depressed and released ispurely automatic and the extent of operation is necessarilypredetermined by the organization of the parts so that each movement ofthe contactor will bring one of the exposed dielectric portions thereofbeneath one of the circuit terminals 33 or 35. Unless the pedal has beendepressed to the full extent required for this movement of the parts thedriving and driven ratchet teeth will not engag for the rotation of therotor. Hence it is assured that the switch will come to rest in thedesired position.

I claim:

1. In a switch, the combination with fixed contacts, and a ivotallymovable contact means arranged or co-action therewith, of mechanism formoving said contact means comprising a reciprocable plate provided withspaced arms, rack teeth formed marginally in one of said arms, and acontact actuator comprising a disc pivoted between said arms in theplane of said plate and provided with peripheral teeth meshing with saidmarginal rack teeth.

2. In a switch, the combination with fixed contacts, and a pivotallymovable contact means arranged for co-action therewith, of mechanism formoving said contact means comprising a reciprocable plate provided withspaced arms, rack teeth formed marginally in one of said arms, and acontact actuator comprising a disc pivoted between said arms in theplane of said plate and provided with peripheral teeth meshing with saidmarginal g rack teeth,'the untoothed arm of said plate in peri heral l 1entwith an untoo ed perip eral portion of said actuator.

3. In a switch, the combination with a mov- I able contact carrierprovided with ratchet teeth, and an oscillatable contact actuatorprovided with complementary ratchet teeth, of a terminal head, means themovement of the contact actuator therefrom, and

complementa'l contacts carried b the contact carrier and the terminal hcertain of which are resiliently adapted to exert pressure in adirection tending to separate the contact carrier and terminal head vandcon-- stituting the sole means for maintaining said ratchet teeth inoperative engagement.

4. In a switch, the combination with a terminal head and a contactcarrier rotatable with respect thereto, of a complementary con tactmeans on said head andcarrier, one of said contact means beingresiliently subject to compression and adapted force said carrier andhead a art, and a device opposmg separation of sai contact carrier andhead comprising a contact actuator secured against axial separation fromsaid head and peeltioned co'-axially with said carrier, means foroscillating said actuator, and complementary ratchet teeth disposedonsaid carrier and actuator for inter-engagement in one relativedirection of oscillation thereof, said resilient contact means beingadapted to maintain said teeth in efiective engagement while permittingsuflicient yielding of said carrier for slippage between said teeth mone direction of rotative oscillation between the actuator and thecarrier. a

5. In a switch, the combination with a terminal head and a rotatablecontact carrier, of-

a contact actuator co-axial with said carrier and secured against axialseparation from said head, co-acting ratchet teeth uponsaid actuator andcarrier, a contactor and a dielectric stop upon said carrier, and aresilient contact u nsaid terminal head enfageable a1 ternatively' withsaid stop an with said contactor, and adapted in engagement with saidstop to secure said carrier against rotation in a direction 0 to that inwhich said carrier is rotated y said ratchet teeth;

6. In a switch, the combination with a terminal head and a rotatablecontact carrier, of a contact actuator co-axial with said carrier andsecured against axial separation from said head, co-acting ratchet teethupon said actuator and carrier, a contactor and adielectric stop uponsaid carrier, and a resilient tion in a direction oppoeed to that inwhich contact upon said terminal head engageable alternatively with saidstop and with said contactor, and adapted in engagement with said stopto secure said carrier against rotasaid carrier is rotated by saidratchet teeth,

said resilient contact being adapted to provide ressure for maintainingsaid ratchet teeth in operative engagement.

7. a: switch, the combination with a terin a direction such as to free aresilient contact from a detent tooth engaged therewith, said ratchetmechanism including complementary ratchet teeth held in engagement bythe thrust of said. contacts. v

18. In a switch, the combination witha terminal head provided withspring contact awls, of a dielectric contact carrier mounted or rotationand provided with exposed dielectric teeth for inter-action with saidpawls to secure said carrier from rotation in one direction whilepermitting rotation in the oppo- -site direction with respect to saidhead, contacts on said carrier between said teeth,

ratchet teeth on said carrier, an actuating ratchet provided withcomplementary teeth, and means for oscillating said actuating ratchet,-acontact on said terminal head being resiliently engaged with saidcarrier in a di rection tomaintain its ratchet teeth in engagement withthe teeth of said actuating ratchet.

9. In a switch, the combination with a terminal head provided with aplurality of terminal's, a contact carrier rotatable with re spect tosaid head, a spring contact'arranged to provide permanent electricalconnection between a portion of said carrier and one of said terminals,said contact acting resiliently on said carrier in an axial directiontending tothrust it from said head, contact means'on,

said carrier electrically connected to said 'ipring contact, additionalcontacts providing H t e making and 'breakingof electrical- Iconnections between the contact means of said carrier and remainingterminals of said head, and ratchet means for rotating said carrierincluding complementary teeth separable in the direction of the carrieraxis and maintained in enga ement by the pressure of sai V J firstmentione contact. 10. In a switchadapted alternatively to .establishdifi'erent circuits closing one and only one except during transitionfrom the closing other, the combination with a pair of contact carriersone of which is relatively fixed and of one circuit to the closing ofthe the other relatively movable, of a supply terminal, a pluralit oftake-off terminals connected with the ed carrier, complementary contacts'for said carriers having relative cuits will be closed alternatively todifferent arcuate extent such as to provide a momentary over-lappin ofengagement between the live terminal and the two take-off terminals ofsaid head, the disposition of said contacts being such that inpredetermined consecutive positions of the movable contact carriercirtake-ofl terminals, and means for the advance of the movable contactcarrier in predetermined steps adapted in each instance to leavesaidcontact carrier in one of said positions.

11. In a device of the character described,

. the combination with a terminal head and a the combination with aterminal head and a,

rotatable contact carrier, of a contact plate applied to the face ofsaid carrier provided with radial cont-act wings exposing dielectricportions of said carrier therebetween, a contact connected with saidhead and'permanent- 1y engaged with said plate, and an additionalcontact spring connected with said head and disposed in the path ofmovement of said wings whereby alternatively to contact with said wingsand with dielectric portions of said carrier, said carrier beingprovided with detent teeth and said spring contact being formed toconstitute a resiliently yieldable dog co-acting with said teeth torestrain said carrier against movement in one direction and permit it tomove freely in the opposite direction of rotation.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination with aterminal head and a contact carrier rotatable with respect thereto, of acontact plate applied to the face of said carrier and provided withthree radially extending wings exposing intervening dielectricportionsof said carrier, spring contacts carried by said terminal head andengageable with said'plate, one of said cont-acts being positioned toride alternatively from said wings to dielectric portions of saidcarrier in the rotation of the latter.

14. In a device of the character described, the combination with aterminal head and a contact carrier rotatable with respect thereto, of.a contact plate applied to the face of saidcarrier and providedwiththree radially extending wings exposing intervening dielectric portionsof said carrier, spring contacts carried by said terminal head andengageable with said plates, one of said contacts being positioned. toride alternatively from said wings to dielectric portions of saidcarrier in the rotation of the latter, and another contact springcarried by said terminal head bein adapted simultaneously to ride from adie ectric portion of the carrier onto one of said wings during such.rotation.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination with aterminal head and a contact carrier rotatable with res to, of a contactplate applied to t e face of said carrier and provided with threeradially extending win s e osing intervening dielectric portions 0 saicarrier, sprin contacts carried by said terminal head an enga able withsaid plates, one' of said contacts aing positioned to ride alternativelyfrom said wings to dielectric portions of said carrier in the rotationof the latter, and another contact spring carried by said terminal headbeing adapted simultaneously to ride from a dielectric portion of thecarrier onto one of said wings during such rotation, said wings havingan arcuate extent such as to ensure the engagement of one of saidcontacts with a given wing before the other of said contactsbecomesdisengag'ed from its wing of said plate.

16. In adevi'ce of the character described, the combination with aterminal head and a contact carrier rotatable with respect therethere-'i to, of a contact plate applied to the face of said carrier andprovided withthree radially extending wings exposing interveningdielectric portions of saidcarrier, sprin contacts carried by saidterminal head an enga able with said plates, one ofsaid contacts ingpositioned to ride alternatively fromsaid wings to dielectric portionsof said carrier in the rotation of the latter, and another contactspring carried by said terminal head being adapted simultaneously toride from-a dielectric portion of the carrier onto one of said wingsduring such rotation, said wings having an arcuate extent such as toensure the engagement of one of said, contacts with a given wing beforethe other of said contacts becomes disengaged from its wing of saidplate, together with means for actuating said carrlerin predeterminedsteps of rotation in one direction, such steps being so determined withreference to the arcuate extent of said wings as to ensureagainsttheengagement of more than one of said contacts with a wing of said plateat any time said carrier is at -rest. 7

ROBERT K. WINNING.

